Hulu Passes on ‘Community’ Season 6? [Updated]

[UPDATE: Hulu may still be interested in Community S6. Read on for details.]

It’s something of a miracle that Community – Dan Harmon’s cult favorite comedy TV series about lovable, but dysfunctional misfits attending a community college – managed to stay alive on NBC for five seasons, despite continuous low ratings and the generally-maligned fourth season, where Harmon was booted off as the show-runner (before he returned for season 5). If the show does get a sixth season (and a movie?) then it won’t be on Hulu, as the streaming video service has passed on the chance to bring more of Greendale’s student body and faculty’s antics to it viewers.

NBC officially canceled Community a couple months ago, but that unwelcome news was quickly followed up by rumors that the show’s sixth season could wind up becoming original content from Netflix (similar to when the company premiered Arrested Development season 4). Such claims were quickly shot down by Netflix reps, only to be replaced by reports that Hulu was in early talks to acquire Community S6.

Unfortunately, TV Line is now reporting that a deal for Hulu to pickup Community has failed to materialize, for whatever reasons (rights issues might have been a contributing factor). Sony Pictures Television – the studio behind the Community property – now has a week left to try and find a new home for the show’s proposed sixth season, as the deals with the show’s main cast members expire on June 30th. One of TV Line‘s sources is hinting that there could already be a deal in the making with another company to take on Community season 6, mentioning that “Sony does not give up easily [and] a lot can happen in one week.” Look for an update on that situation very soon.

UPDATE: The Wrap is reporting that talks the Community/Hulu talks have not fallen apart just yet, and the site is also claiming that there is “at least one other entity” interested in acquiring the proposed Community season 6.

Harmon commented on Community being cancelled not too long after it happened, but his reaction wasn’t all that passionate (either in a positive or a negative direction) – and, to be perfectly honest, I can see where he’s coming from. It would be fun to see the show realize what has become the dream of “Six Seasons and a Movie” – which, lest we forget, started out as a joke about short-lived superhero TV show The Cape – and, in truth, if NBC hadn’t gone and dropped the axe on the series, I’d be just as excited as the next Community fan to see it continue onward and upward.

Thing is, in many ways the first three seasons of Community stand up fine on their own; season 4, well, there’s a good reason that the events that occurred in that season are quickly dismissed as being part of “Gas Leak Year,” whenever mentioned in conversations by the characters in S5. Abed meta-referenced the fifth year as being akin to a Scrubs: Interns style rebirth, yet Community season 5 almost plays out more as an enjoyable multi-episode epilogue to the rest of the show. All things considered, a sixth season just doesn’t feel like so much of a necessity.

… But if Communitydoes get picked up somewhere for season 6, then you won’t hear me complain about it.

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JUST MAKE THE MOVIE ALREADY! WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER SEASON, BUT I PERSONALLY DO WANT A MOVIE, A TRUE RAP TO THE OVERALL STORY. BRING BACK TROY AND PIERCE, MAKE EVERYTHING WORK TOGETHER. IT’LL BE AMAZING

I’m starting to wonder whether the show needs a sixth season. I would love it, and support it wholeheartedly, but season 5 was a pretty good epilogue for the characters. Season 4 was weird (I enjoyed it but it wasn’t as good as seasons 1-3 or 5), 5 righted the course and gave us some great moments for all the cast members.

I would love to see a movie, or maybe just an hour long special or something, I would love to go back to Greendale, I just don’t know if its necessarily a good idea at this point.

my guess is all the actors are actually hoping it DOES NOT happen as they’re likely looking forward to moving on to other projects
the show is already in syndication – some of the original cast is gone and clearly the fan base has dwindled (besides die hards)
before it was cancelled I was watching an new episode on Hulu and I just stopped watching mid-way thru, just wasn’t funny anymore

all the actors on it are great and I’ll look forward to seeing them in other shows or movies
acting the same role for years on end can become boring – just look at Donald Glover – he chose to leave early

Maybe some of them feel that way, but I know Gillian Jacobs has “Save Community” on her Twitter and she’s always seemed to want the show to go Six Seasons and a Movie. Joel Mchale has been asked about it many times in recent interviews, and he also seems hopeful that it will get saved by someone.

In episode 1 of season 3 Abed freaks out because Cougar Town has been moved mid season and Troy comforts him by saying “six seasons and a movie.” But the original “six seasons and a movie line” comes from episode 21 season 2 (the flashback episode) when Abed sneaks up on Jeff in the cafeteria then knocks over his tray of food and runs away Jeff yells something about The Cape getting canceled and Abed yells “six seasons and a movie!”

The show should just end (coming from a die hard fan) because honestly the episodes are starting to be hit and miss. Season 5 would of been one of the best with Harmon back, but with the loss of Pierce and Troy the show lost most of its humor. I think the creativity isnt there anymore with makes me sad, they are starting to rehash a lot of the same ideas. For example half of season 5 episodes are basically modern warfare (you know the paintball episode) just with a different idea. That would be fine, but there are just to many episodes like this, it makes the show less realistic in the sense that it doesnt even seem like a school anymore. If they do contine they have to find a new character who can bring in something new, a few guess stars (the ones this season were not that funny) someone like seth rogen or andy samberg ikd, but someone funny, and have duncan around more he is one of the best on the show, and please less chang he is starting to be one of those annoying characters with i hate because i loved him when he was a spanish teacher, and lastly they should take out the old guy from breaking bad he just doesnt really click well with the group. If they do continue the passion has to be there or they shouldnt do it at all.

you can’t deny that the show has been going down hill, even with harmon back. Abed by himself isnt funny and jeff without pierce isnt all to funny either. Plus they have no idea what to with chang or the dean. Season 5 was a step up from season 4, but a huge step down to what it used to be. Why would a die hard fan want to watch this show die painfully?